Shades of Gray
by Hinata001
Summary: Spoilers: Batman Inc. #8. One moment can change everything. In that moment Dick takes Damian's place. Now the BatFamily hangs by a thread while the eldest son's life hangs in the balance. Even if he lives he will never be the same. He broke the oath he made as a child. He isn't alone though. Damian must make a decision that may break up the newest Dynamic Duo, but create a new one.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Happy birthday to me! So, this is one of my attempts to fix the tragedy that was Batman Inc. #8. It addresses the biggest problem I had with the issue, which was Nightwing being knocked unconscious by the Heretic and not waking up until the tragic ending. Red Robin was trapped by the model plane but Dick was where he could save him. Dick had already lost so much, this is just torture. *And to add even more to the torture, we had a startling revelation in Nightwing #18 today.

To all my other fans out there that are hopefully reading this, I am still working on my other stories. I just need time to work Damian's death out of my system.

Note: I have another Damian story that I am going to write, similar in ways but different as well. It is called _Flamebird. _Kudos to those who can figure out where the name comes from and why.

4/21: fixed missed line.

Disclaimer: I do not own, especially this first chapter.

Warning: Spoilers for Batman Inc. #8

Prologue:

He was fighting beside Police Commissioner James Gordon against a crowd of children. He didn't want to fight them and that reluctance was allowing them to overwhelm them. That was, until a familiar figure swooped by through the air, knocking out several of the children, but not without a final word. "What would you do _**without **_me, Grayson?"

"Robin?"

A second later he was coughing into a mask as one of the kids used his arm to protect his own mouth and nose. "_*KARRF.* _Midtown." The smoke started to clear and he looked up, watching Robin fly away. "He's headed for Midtown. I gotta leave _**your guys **_to mop up here, _**Commissioner**_." He addressed the last part to the Commissioner, apologetically. He had a brother to save. He rushed over to his motorcycle and hopped on it. Starting it, he headed towards Midtown.

He arrived at the Wayne Enterprises Building Red Robin had messaged he was headed to just in time to see Robin in danger from some of Talia's men who were aiming laser guns and arrows at him. He was not paying attention, still boasting after having electrocuted a group of assailants. Nightwing had no time to stop his bike. He drove straight through the window nearest Robin and jumped off his bike, colliding with Robin. "What would _**you **_do without _**me**_?" he joked as he protected Robin from the lasers.

A few seconds later they were hiding behind a sideways U-shaped concrete sign for Wayne Enterprises . "You're supposed to be _**home**_!" he exclaimed quietly. "He'll _**kill**_ Alfie for letting you loose."

"Pennyworth is blameless," "Robin replied, beginning to remove his flight armor. "Father seriously _**underestimated **_the situation. Grayson, I'm very pleased you're _**here**_ as a matter of fact."

"You got Red Robin's message," he said. "Your mom's occupied _**Wayne Tower**_, Batman's up there somewhere…You flew right into a _**warzone**_." He knew it would only confirm Robin's belief that he should be here, but he had to try.

"Where I _**belong**_," Robin replied, supporting his thought. "This is the result of _**years**_ of accumulating anger. But she is still my mother and maybe I can _**reach**_ her."

Nightwing sincerely doubted that but unfortunately (this time) Damian was as stubborn as their father.

"This is our last chance to prevent a _**catastrophe**_," Damian continued. "Are you _**with **_me _**Nightwing**_?"

He grinned. "When did _**we**_ ever let something like _**that **_get in the way?" he replied, "Robin the Boy Wonder, Damian." He rolled two pellets into his hand from a tube he had pulled out from his belt.

"So far I'd say you've been my _**favorite **_partner," Damian told him and the sense of foreboding he had had all day grew. Damian never typically said things like that. "We were the _**best**_, Richard," Damian continued, "no matter what anyone thinks."

He tried to be his usual joking self so as to not alarm Damian though he doubted he was successful. "Hey, _**we **_can't help being great." With that, he tossed the two pellets in his hand over the wall.

"Ready?" Damian asked. With that, the two of them jumped over the wall as an explosion sounded behind them.

"We _**should**_ do this more often," he said, reffering to what Damian had told him not to long ago when he was dealing with the aftermath of the Joker's attack on Haly's and Amusement Mile.

"That's what **_I _**said!"

Together they turned and rushed into the smoke the two pellets had caused. They began to fight.

"And don't get cocky!" he ordered as they both knocked out their own oppponents.

"Says _**you**_," Damian retorted.

Suddenly, they both found themselves punching a familiar masked man in white robes.

"_**That **_worked out," he said, paling. "Robin. _**Get out of here now!" **_He found himself suddenly choking, struggling to breathe in the strong, high grasp of the Heretic's hand.

"Leave him _**alone**_!" Damian was shouting "_**Look at ME!**_"

Suddenly, he was thrown and he collided with a knight mannequin, blacking out.

When he came to, his mind was far from foggy. Fear fueled his as he pushed himself up, hoping he was not too late. Turning his head, he watched as Damian aimed his crossbow and arrow at his clone. He wasn't able to hear what Damian was saying but judging by the small girl near the clone and his ability to lip-read, he had an idea. He definitely had to agree that Bruce would not be happy with what Damian was about to do. He watched as the arrow pierced the clone in the heart and Damian kicked him in that area, hoping to ensure his demise. It didn't work. He had to admit the way Damian sat on his slightly flaming brother's shoulders a few seconds later would have been funny if it wasn't for the arrows from those stupid Leviathan men and the clone trying to break Damian in half over his knee.

Dick couldn't take any more. Fury and protectiveness forced him into standing and he found himself rushing to the now duo (luckily the girl ran off) just as Damian was thrown into a wall, defenseless.

"…Call him off at once…Mother…" he barely heard Damian say with his enhanced senses. His sensitive ears picked up an unfamiliar tremor in Damian's voice and he could just see a sight he hope to never see; Damian…genuinely afraid for his life. Something inside him snapped and he heard the familiar hoot of an owl as with all the strength he could muster and all his willpower that he attacked his brother's clone.

_**"Leave my little brother alone!" **_

He didn't remember what happened next and frankly he was relieved. He didn't want to remember how he had broken the oath he had made as a child. What he did remember was Damian's expression changing to fear for him mixed with disbelief as he cried out a word Dick had never thought he'd hear.

_**"Dick!" **_

He only had a glance of the sword sticking out of his chest where his heart was before he became cold, his vision started to fade to black and lose consciousness.

Throughout Gotham and even the world the members of Batman Incorporated as well as everyone who knew Dick Grayson froze in shock as the Earth seemed to tremble. A select few villains grinned as the seemed to realize the Gray Prince of Gotham had taken the first steps to the life they had seen he would shine in.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: So, this chapter is a lot longer than the previous one. It makes mentions to several issues of Nightwing, Batman, Batman Inc. and even Talon.

Disclaimer: I do not own.

Ch. 2

Damian trembled in his father's arms as they and the rest of the family waited anxiously for the verdict of the eldest Wayne child's fate. Even Todd had shown up. Nightwing, Dick Grayson, had been seriously wounded with a sword to the chest he had taken to save Damian. That was not before he had also fatally wounded Damian's attacker, Damian's own clone. Two of his brother's had practically killed each other. No, the clone hadn't been his brother. They had just been related by blood. Dick was his brother. It had taken a long time for him to finally understand that blood does not necessarily mean family but now he did. _Talia _and his clone had ensured that.

He buried his head in his father's large chest, not even caring for once about his image or showing weakness. He was too worried about Dick. He could tell Father was too by the way he clutched him tightly in his arms, afraid by letting him go he would disappear forever.

The sound of Dr. Thompkins' footsteps reached his ears before he could slip into slumber. He tensed, completely terrified of the news.

"He's stable," she announced. Relief filled the room at the good news. "We lost him a few times but he pulled through. He's in a coma though and there's something else. His body has an unnaturally high amount of electrum and something else, down to the cellular level that seem to have been activated."

The shock from those throughout the room who understood exactly what that meant was palpable.

"From what I can tell it's only because of this that he's alive and will be able to recover," Leslie continued.

"You mentioned there was something else in his cells?" Bruce asked.

"Yes, I couldn't identify it though," she replied. The room was silent for a moment

"Can we see him?" Damian asked, startling everyone.

"Normally, I would say no," she said, "but considering the circumstances I actually think it best that you are by his side when he wakes up. He'll be confused and terrified and will most likely lash out."

"Why?" Jason asked from where he sat.

` "The last thing he will remember is Damian in danger," Drake explained, "Which is why only he should be there. Dick is likely to lash out at anyone he sees as a threat to Damian at first because his mind will take time to process that he doesn't have to protect Damian."

"And after?" Barbara asked.

Drake sighed, solemnly, his expression grave. "I don't know."

Frowning, Damian slipped from his father's lap while the others were talking. His father did nothing to stop him. It was easy to slip away and find his way to where Dick was. Entering the medical chamber of the cave, he was shocked to see the small, fragile figure in the only occupied bed. The man lying there looked nothing like the strong willed, indomitable man he loved and respected. This wasn't the man who had been the second Batman, who had taken down villains like Deathstroke the Terminator and even the hero Superman. Struggling not to cry, Daiman found himself ignoring the chair and sitting on the edge of the bed beside Dick, careful not to disturb any of the wires or tubes.

He couldn't help but think of what Leslie had said about Dick's miraculous recovery. He knew Dick would be terrified of this news and what it meant. He knew that even a year later Dick was still reeling from the discovery that he should have been an assassin, having been born for it just like Damian and that the only reason he hadn't was because Tony Zucco had murdered his parents when he was a child causing Father to take him in. No matter what was said by Father, Damian knew that they all saw the truth. The villains were right. Despite his openness with his emotions and his nickname of Batman-Light, Dick had just as much potential to be an assassin as Damian. His stint as Renegade, despite the ploy, proved that. Even Grandfather and Deathstroke had seen his potential. He had the training and the experience. He had an ability to read movement that set him leagues above the others. The biggest obstacle was his compassion and his affinity for emotions. At the same time, it was also what brought him closest to the line. Dick knew this as well which was why he stuck stringently to the oath he had made as a child.

"You better wake up Grayson," he said. "Who else will play the Swordwalkers game with me or listen to my rants about Father? Okay, so Pennyworth does the latter but we both know I prefer to go to you. You're the one who understands Father best…and…and you understand me as well. You gave me the chance nobody else would. You're…You're my brother and I…I need you."

* * *

Dick knew he was dreaming. The unfamiliar yet at the same time familiar stone walls of the Gotham Underground was proof of that, as was the large owl statue he had seen perched above a raised pool of water. It was extremely familiar, but it wasn't the reason he was running through the Labyrinth, a place he had barely heard about from Bruce and the very place he would have been tortured and trained in as a child if the Court had been able to claim him. It was the familiar red figure he had caught sight of while he had been trying to figure out his situation.

He knew this wasn't real but every part of him screamed out in horror at the situation. His mind was foggy but he knew there was a reason he was here, something…no, someone, he had to protect. His grip on his escrima sticks tightened and he gritted his teeth. He….had to…protect…

He froze as he saw the room he had entered. There _he _was; standing there like the phantom from Dick's nightmare he was. He held his activated escrima sticks in his hands, the tips illuminating the room and the hundreds of red coffins that filled it. He was paying no attention to Dick. His focus was on the two young boys cowering in front of him, trapped. They both had dark hair and blue eyes in different shades and were about ten. Worst of all, they were familiar. Nightwing growled under his breath, his eyes widening as memories flickered through his mind.

"Aagh!" he cried out, barreling into the man, his own escrima sticks now activated. He found himself pinning the familiar enemy to the ground.

The man stared at him, startled for a moment before becoming amused. "Well, look who we have here," _he _said. "It's been a while, Did you miss me?"

Nightwing snorted. "As much as I miss the Joker," he retorted.

The man raised an eyebrow behind his mask. "Considering your desire to get revenge on him that isn't saying something. Plus, I see you've changed you're going for red now. A tribute to me perhaps?"

Nightwing rolled his eyes. "Don't be so conceited, _Renegade_."

The man smirked. "Shouldn't you be focused on the boys?"

Nightwing tensed and looked up in horror as a familiar black figure landed where Renegade had been, a knife in his hand. This was a mistake as he found himself suddenly the one pinned. He struggled against Renegade's hold, glaring at the red costumed man who was grinning the same grin his former master had. The terrified cries from the two boys struck him to the core. Nightwing watched as Renegade pulled off his mask, revealing a face almost identical to Dick's but with shorter hair, a dark, evil expression and glowing yellow eyes instead of Dick's blue ones.

At the sight of those eyes Nightwing gasped. He knew that color somehow. He watched as Renegade's outfit darkened to black and changed, becoming more modern. The red symbol changed to a gold one and no longer resembled the symbol of the Flying Graysons. Now it resembled an Athenian owl in flight. His features became more bird-like, his skin paler and his nails longer like claws. This was no longer simply Renegade about to kill him…This was a Talon.

"You never should have let me go," Talon said. "Without me, you're just a pathetic little bird without his talons, pretending to be a bat. But we both know that's not who you're supposed to be. You aren't a robin or a bat….and definitely not…_this. _You're an owl. It's about time you remember that and start acting like one. It's time to decide who you really are."

Nightwing grinned suddenly as memories echoed through his mind.

-_"I know how badly you want Tony Zucco, Dick. And I know you're willing to stop at __**nothing**__to find him. I have only one question. When you __**do**__ find Zucco…then what?"_

_ "You mean will I kill him…__**Mr. Wayne**__? Sorry…you hide it well, but…I've known since the moment I first saw you as Batman. Since the moment I realized were the __**same**__. Which is why __**you **__already know the answer. We want the same things, Mr. Wayne. And if you'll let me, I want to help you __**fight **__for them."_

_ -"You know, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that this freak show is so important to you, Nightwing. Seeing as you showed up in every city they traveled to the past __**year**__. When you think about it, you and Haly's makes perfect sense. The circus has __**always**__ been the place where bad kids run to when they're running away from home. Which is what __**you**__ are. Even after Batman gave you __**everything**__…you __**abandoned**__ him. It __**was**__ almost too cute. Which is why I don't understand what you're doing __**now**__. Coming back to Gotham? Trying to build a __**nest**__? That's not __**you**__, Little Bird. __**You**__ should be flying free. Not shacking up…with a bunch of __**deadbeats**__."_

_ "You see, Nightwing, more than any of the others you put __**your**__ faith in __**relationships**__. You insist on surrounding yourself with __**people**__. But people will __**always**__ let you down."_

_ -"'You put your faith in people and people will always let you down'. It's what the Joker said about me. About what made me __**weak**__."_

_ -"I'm supposed to be the one who doesn't dwell. I'm supposed to be the __**rock**__."_

_ "So?"_

_ "So, if I'm __**not**__…then what the Joker said about me was __**right**__."_

_ "You got burned by people you leaned on. Guess what? It's going to happen again. That doesn't mean you should __**stop**__. You trust people. It's what makes you who you are."_

_-"Dick, listen. I know it must have been hard finding out that you were meant to be a Talon. To be one of the Owls."_

_"Well thank you, B-"_

_ "I'm not done. I know it might seem like I saved you from that destiny. But you could never have been one of them. __**Never**__. They might have seen something back then but so did I. And the truth is, I didn't save you from some dark fate, those years ago. You saved __**me**__ from one. And you still are saving me, every day." _

"That's where you're wrong," Nightwing said, wresting control of the situation from Talon. Hewas now the one on top again. "I knew who I am, and it definitely isn't you."

Talon laughed again, the laughter eerily reminding Nightwing of the Joker. "Now who's wrong?" He had a sly grin on his face. "You still don't remember, do you?"

"Remember what?" he asked.

Talon continued to grin. "You'll know soon enough."

Something was wrong. Nighwing tensed and turned in time to see that the other Talon was now holding the slightly older of the two boys who was struggling to escape his grasp. The other boy was attacking the Talon but failing. The scene was so familiar it startled Nightwing into releasing Talon who quickly joined the other Talon's side and took the boy from him, allowing the other Talon to unsheathe a large sword.

**"Damian Wayne," **the Talon said. **"The Court of Owls has sentenced you to die." **

Seeing the boy backed into a corner, Nightwing's eyes widened and for a second the Talon became a familiar cream-robed figure.

"Nooo!" Dick screamed, diving at the Talon. Everything was a blur. He was suddenly struggling against somebody's hold, desperate to save his baby brother. "Nooo!"

"Grayson, stop it," the familiar voice of his captor said. "Tt. You're only hurting yourself. Though admittedly your nails are sharp."

Dick gasped and his eyes flew open. His surroundings changed to what he recognized as the Medical Wing of the BatCave. Straddling him to hold down his arms was a familiar small figure, Damian. Behind him, holding down's Dick's legs was Bruce. Dick's focus was on his youngest brother though. The details of his dream were sent to the back of his mind as his attention was centered on his former partner. "You're alive," he said, sighing in relief, having stopped struggling when he realized who was holding him down. He watched as Bruce let his legs go and Damian hopped off him but remained on the edge of the bed.

"Tt, of course I am Grayson," Damian said in his familiar brattish tone. "I'm not the one who took a sword to the heart."

"…To the heart," Dick said in disbelief. His eyes went to his bandaged chest then to the familiar equipment that seemed to have been recently used on him. There was an empty I.V. bag and line. A heart monitor was still attached to him, showing a steady, oddly soothing rhythm. He listened to the familiar beats for a moment, listening for any problem but finding none. This was extremely odd, especially considering he had been stabbed in the heart. He should be dead, yet here he was. His chest hurt and felt like somebody had stabbed him, but not to the intent he expected. The minor injuries he had received were strangely gone, no sign of them left.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He knew about the electrum of course. He could never forget Bruce's explanation for the fast healing he seemed to have. This was just ridiculous though. It seemed the electrum had somehow been activated. It wasn't just the electrum though. Something else seemed to have caused even more changes in him. He wondered if his eyes were still blule. At least he seemed to be himself and not a puppet of the Court. They would no doubt come looking for him now. His hands clenched as he took in the new length of his nails. It didn't matter. He'd be ready.

"I'll tell the others you're awake," Bruce said. Dick didn't think to ask him the fate of the Heretic, He somehow already knew, just as he knew it wouldn't be the last they saw of Damian's clone. Somehow that only made the heavy guilt he felt for killing somebody who should have been his brother greater.

"Thanks," Dick sent silently. Bruce nodded and Dick was left alone with Damian. A second later Dick found his arms wrapped around his youngest brother who had his head buried against Dick's chest. "I'm here Dami," he soothed the trembling boy. "I'm right here. I'm not going to leave you." He caught sight of his reflection from the corner of his eye. For a second he saw the owl-like monster of Talon/Renegade before he was replaced by his usual blue-eyed reflection, albeit slightly distorted.

The message was clear. There was no escaping from what had occurred, the past that had been hidden from him until now. Just like Damian, he had been born to kill. Yet just like Damian, it was his choice not to. The lost boy trained as an assassin had grown to become a hero, and he would die again before he went back to being that boy.

** A/N: Yeah, this story actually wasn't supposed to be like this but I got this idea from a review asking if the Court would be in it. I was planning to add them in some way. This came about and I really like it. It gives a semi-logical explanation for how Dick could actually survive and gives me a chance to tie this in with the Talon series. The ending gives a great twist for the story but there's a lot more that has yet to be uncovered. Next chapter we get the others' reactions to everything. Luckily it will be a few chapters before we get to Nightwing #18 and the big reveal in it. This is going to become more than just a story about the partnership and bond between Dick and Damian. **


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Okay, so welcome to the next chapter of _Shades of Gray_, formerly _Brothers_. This will take place right after the previous chapter and the first part will be in Bruce's point of view.

3/27: Alright, for those of you who have read Batman Inc. #9 keep reading. Otherwise: Spoilers. Read at your own discretion. Jason should technically not be here since he was kidnapped, since this is technically AU anyways, we can say Dick changed that event too with his intervention in Damian's death.

4/13: Okay, so just a bit of news. I will inevitably be incorporating some of the newer chapter from _Batman_, _Nightwing, Batman Inc., Batman and…_, _Batgirl, Teen Titans,_ _Red Hood and the Outlaws,_ and _Talon _so I will try to warn you when there are spoilers. I will also be making references to older issues of _Nightwing_ and _Batman and Robin _from pre- New 52 and the DCnU N52 including Scott Snyder's brilliant _Black Mirror_. My continuity is a mix between this and the DCnU Earth 1. If you want, you can think of it as a new Earth in the New 52 that we haven't learned about yet. For this story, the events of Nightwing #0 happened when Dick was 8/9 and not 15 like in the old stories and he is in his mid-to-late twenties. He was a cop in Blüdhaven. He is also part Romani, possibly of the Romanian descent, not sure yet. I will leave the rest to present itself in the story.

4/18: Fixed a missing line in chapter one.

From now on** ***_Underlined__Italics*__Romani_since it is not a written language.

Disclaimer: I do not own.

Chapter 3:

Bruce's POV

As he walked out of the Medical Wing to where the others were waiting for news, Bruce couldn't help but think about his eldest son. Everything had changed when he had taken in Dick. Dick had been the first. He had known the moment he saw him that the boy was unique. That had only been confirmed the day he had decided to bring Dick to the Batcave. The memory replayed in his mind.

_He stared at the shocked boy who was studying the Batcave. He didn't seem panicked by what had happened, only curious. His eyes surveyed the cavern eagerly. "…Are we…?" _

"_I know how badly you want Tony Zucco, __**Dick**__," he said to the boy he was considering taking in. "And I know you're willing to stop at __**nothing**__ to find him. I only have one question. When you __**do**__ find Zucco…then what?"_

"_You mean, will I kill him…__**Mr. Wayne**__?" Dick replied, causing Bruce to stare at him in shock. "Sorry...you hide it well, but…I've known since the moment I first saw you as Batman. Since the moment I realized we're the __**same**__. Which is why __**you**__ already know the answer." Dick held out his hand. "We want the same things, Mr. Wayne. And if you'll let me, I want to help you __**fight**__ for them." _

_And the moment he accepted Dick's hand, he knew he would do anything to protect the boy he somehow knew would someday be his son. _

And he did. Soon after their first meeting with Lady Shiva, something had happened that would test that. Dick had been kidnapped and the culprit had not been Tony Zucco. The terror that ran through him when he had discovered who had taken Dick was still clear after all this time, as strong as the terror he had felt when Chill had held his parents at gunpoint. He had rescued Dick but it had come at a terrible voice. His son had lost the last bit of innocence he had. Once again he had someone else's blood on his hands but this time it was not someone else's fault.

Bruce could still remember the small, broken boy he had found, trembling in shock from what he had done. He had no doubt what was going through his son's head. When Dick's glazed, now yellow eyes had looked at him with terror he had known nothing he said could get to him. Dick had become catatonic. He had simply held Dick tightly in his arms as he carried him away. The week Dick had been catatonic had felt like forever. By then, his features had returned to normal until the only proof of his kidnapping was his malnourished, scarred body. The next time he had opened his eyes he hadn't remembered anything of what had happened. Yet, there had been a part of him that still seemed to remember because not long after he had made the oath that he had upheld ever since…up until he killed the Heretic. Neither of them counted the incident with the Joker years ago, especially not after the clown's most recent spree of chaos.

Bruce had no doubt that Damian's clone wouldn't be dead for much longer though. Talia wouldn't accept that and she had the means to revive him. That would keep her busy for a while which was both a relief and a curse. With Leviathan gone the Court would inevitably try to come for Dick. This time though, they would get a rude awakening. He had seen Dick's blue eyes flash yellow for an instant as he left and knew that he could no longer hide the truth from him any longer. It was already too late. Dick remembered, if only faintly.

He entered the room where everyone was waiting. At the sound of his footsteps he caught their attention. "He's awake," he announced.

"How is he?" Jason asked from where he sat beside Tim, another seemingly inseparable pair of his sons. It was hard to believe Jason had ever hated Tim and had tried to kill him.

"As well as can be expected," Bruce replied. "I'm sure he'd appreciate having you two with him." Right now Dick didn't need him there, he needed his brothers.

* * *

Dick only tensed slightly as he sensed the familiar presence of Jason and Tim. Damian was asleep, curled up beside him. Even in his sleep, he was clutching Dick like his life depended on it. Up until the arrival of his last two brothers, Dick had been content to just watch Damian sleep, reminiscing about the past.

"He went to sleep about five minutes ago," he announced to the two figures standing at the entrance to the "room." He watched as his two other brothers entered and walked towards his bed. Both of them were hesitant. He rolled his eyes. "Come on Guys, you know I don't bite."

That seemed to do it as the two chuckled slightly. "How are you feeling Dick?" Tim asked.

"Physically, better than what one would expect from dying by a sword to the heart," he replied. "Emotionally, not exactly sure yet. Ask me later."

"Do you…" Tim tried to ask.

"Know about the electrum, yeah," he replied.

"You don't seem surprised," Jason said.

Dick shook his head. "I'm not."

"Does this have anything to do with Haly's and the Court?" Jason asked. "I noticed how the Talon I faced was acrobatic like you and he went straight to the old spot that the circus used to pitch the big top. The old sign was still there."

Dick sighed and nodded. "Haly's was the source of the Court's Talons for centuries. My great-grandfather, William Cobb, was one of them. He actually killed Bruce's great-great-grandfather Alan Wayne." He ignored the looks of shock on his brothers' faces and continued his story. "Apparently, when he was young he fell in love with Burton Crowne's daughter Amelia after meeting her during a street-side performance for money before he was taken in by Haly's. Her father objected and they had to break up, except she was already pregnant. Cobb became a Talon and not long after, he stole his own child, a son. He gave him to Nathanial Haly to raise in the circus and gave him a name to symbolize that he had been born of both rich and poor, the gray. He called him the Gotham's Son."

"Grayson," Tim said, wide-eyed.

Dick nodded and took a deep breath, knowing how hard it would be to tell the next part of the story. "It wasn't until decades later that Cobb's desire was realized. The Court had many Talons after him and after 26 years of the same Talon, it was time for a new one. As usual they chose from the children of Haly's and they had their eyes on one in particular…me." He focused his gaze on Damian who hadn't stirred. "Only a few days before I first met Bruce, I was given the false electrum tooth all Talon's have. The night Tony Zucco murdered my parents and Bruce took me in would have been the last night I had with my family before the Court took me away.

"But they didn't, because Bruce saved you," Jason said. "You were never a Talon."

Dick felt Damian's hold on him tighten and knew that the young assassin was about to learn how similar they really were. "A-about a year after Bruce took me in, soon after I became Robin, they-they came for me again. They succeeded. By the time Bruce found me it was too late. I had been broken beyond repair. The next time I woke up I didn't remember anything of my time with the Court. I lost a whole year of my life." He groaned as he felt himself pulled into the embrace of his three brothers. "You know, aren't I usually the one to instigate the group hugs?"

"Shut up Goldie," Jason said.

"Remember what I said Grayson," Damian added. "It's okay to lean on people."

Dick laughed. "When did you get so wise Little D?"

Damian smirked. "Tt. I had a great teacher," he replied. "Don't let it get to your head though."

"Too late for that Baby Bird," Dick laughed, ruffling his youngest brother's hair slightly. This moment felt so great, laughing with his brothers. It was a rare experience that he knew he would always cherish. He knew Bruce and Alfred would cherish it too. He wouldn't be surprised if they kept a photo or video from the surveillance system.

"Alright, that's enough for now," Bruce's voice said from the entryway. "I'm sure Dick needs his rest."

Dick rolled his eyes. "Are you going to come join in or not?" he asked.

"I don't have any choice, do I?" Bruce replied.

Dick gave him his signature grin. "Nope."

"What were you like as a kid, Grayson?" Damian asked a while later. Jason and Tim were still there. They looked interested in the question.

Dick blushed. "Well, according to Cyril I terrified him when I was Robin." He bowed his head solemnly for a second along with the others at the reminder of Cyril's recent death. "To quote his words I was 'this rough and raucous little _**Demon Boy**_, always somersaulting around, cracking weird _**jokes**_ in some barely decipherable _**accent**_.'"

"I get the rough and raucous part, but _**Demon Boy**_," Tim said, sneaking a slight glance at Damian who he had called Demon countless times.

"Tt, I'm more curious about the accent," Damian said, his Middle Eastern accent slipping through.

"I'm sure you are _*__my Baby Bird_*," he said, letting his own accent slip through and saying the last part in his not-so-native tongue. It had been years since he had spoken in the language his mother had taught him as a child.

Damian gaped, wide-eyed. "_*__You speak Romani?!__*"_

Dick raised an eyebrow, surprised, but not too much. It made sense for Talia to teach Damian an obscure language. "Apparently so do you," he replied. "I'm half-Romani, on my mother's side."

"You mean Romani, as in Gypsy…" Jason said, his shock turning into amusement.

"Yeah, Romanian descent," he said. "I was actually born here in Gotham though. I'm a Son of Gotham through and through."

"You're more than that Dick," Tim said. "You're its Gray Prince."

Later, Damian stared at the photograph in his hand as he lied on his bed, his cat Alfred curled up beside him and Titus on the floor nearby. He hated leaving Grayson alone right now but he knew there was no use staying constantly by the wounded man's side now that he was recovering. He knew both of them needed time to think about the recent revelations.

It was shocking, but not hard to believe that his overly emotional eldest brother and former partner had been a child assassin just like him. Still, he had seen the dark side of the second Batman. It made sense in Dick's strange way that it was his capacity for love that could be both his biggest strength, and his greatest weakness. Like Father, it was when those he loved were in danger or had been hurt in some way that he came close to crossing that line he had drawn for himself years ago. That was the man who had once "killed" the Joker and who might have done it again if he hadn't been worried about the rest of the family. He had seen the way Nightwing had stared with dark longing and seething hatred after the Clown Prince and had heard the edge in his voice as he told Father to go after him. That man was not the one in the photo in his hand. They were like night and day; black and white…no they were more like different shades of gray.

They were so alike, and yet completely opposite. Maybe that was why they worked so well together, like Dick and Father had. It made sense that they should be partners. They understood each other better than anyone else did. Dick had been the one to get him to open up, just like he had Father. _He _did not judge him or baby him. Sure he had his overprotective times but he knew Dick would never have given him back to Mo…Talia. He wouldn't have kept him locked up in the Manor and Cave, blind to what was going on. He would have at least trusted him and filled him in on _why _he couldn't do something and would have had him help in some other way.

He smiled sadly, remembering his words to his brother not long before the moment everything changed.

_"So far I'd say you've been my __**favorite**__ partner. We were the __**Best **__Richard. No matter what anyone thinks."_

Dick had joked about how they couldn't help being great and that they should partner up more often, something he had mentioned not to long before that. It was something he had been thinking about for a long time, since he had become Father's partner instead of Dick's. As much as he loved Father and wanted to prove himself to him, he knew it would never be like what he had with his brother. He never had to prove himself to Dick. He didn't have to be the best, just himself.

_"You've got nothing to prove-none of us do-"_

_ -"Heard you already paid a visit to Tim and Jason… No need for us to tangle. Here, hang __**this **__on your wall. _

_ You don't need to try so hard, Damian. If you haven't noticed, Kid. You're already __**wearing **__the __**"R" **__on your chest."_

"Penny for your thoughts, Master Damian?" Pennyworth's voice startled him from his thoughts.

He blinked, lifting his eyes from the photo of him and Dick. The idea he had been entertaining for so long was stronger than ever, especially with these latest events. Who would protect Dick if he didn't? Yet, he couldn't abandon father. "What am I going to do Pennyworth?"

* * *

A/N: Alright this has been an interesting chapter. I hope you like the startling reveals. There was actually going to be a lot more to this chapter but I decided to wait to include the rest. Damian's flashback quotes were from _Batman and Robin 10-11 _and _Batman Inc. #8_.


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